Not Our War
by WriterJoe337
Summary: History bonded man and wolf with each other. But with the rival packs of East and West at war, how will the humans respond? From the amazing first-person accounts of a human soldier caught in the strife, supported with the unheard stories of both Eastern and Western armies and their leaders, we bring you the story of the greatest war in Jasper like never before.
1. Chapter 1

_**12 December 2010**_

Border Outpost #37  
Western Territory  
Jasper  
11:15 pm

* * *

It was a peaceful night. The sky was clear, revealing an endless constellation of stars. Nothing much could be heard except the distant sound of crickets, the river calmly flowing between the cliffs below us and the occasional chatting of my comrades. They were more like complaints, actually.

It was also a night much colder than the rest, and with every gust, the wind pierced through our clothes and skin, down to our very bones.

We had on so much clothing and jackets that we looked like obese Eskimos, and even the small fire we had burning was powerless against the bitter cold.

My name is Kraat Boonstamp. Twenty-seven years of age and holder of possibly the worst-sounding name in the region. I have held the rank of Private for three years, without a single hint of promotion from my superiors. Now here we were, me and four of my comrades, stationed at one of many outposts, separated from each other by a distance of about ten kilometres.

Maybe I am going too fast. Let me help you understand the situation. During the time period which we now call the Age of Discovery, our ancestors came upon this strange new land, now known as Canada. They came from powerful European countries hungry for expansion, fame and glory. Most were from Germany and the Netherlands, much like mine.

Seeing that the land was good and fertile, they expanded. Numerous battles were fought between the European powers for possession of the continent, and eventually Great Britain turned out the victor. However, their government was so kind as to grant the colonies from other countries their own share of this beautiful land. Germany obtained the Jasper region, a piece of heaven on Earth. It was to be a fresh start, a new beginning, away from the noisy, polluted and overcrowded cities of the Old World.

Or so we thought.

Generations passed, and as the world advanced towards modernization, we made strong bonds and alliances with the native inhabitants of the region, the wolves. Through time, our fathers and forefathers were taught the skill of communication with these wild beasts, and the secrets have been passed down from father to son. Using this new power of communication, we quickly learned that we were not in a land of peace. A bloody civil war between the Eastern and Western packs of Jasper had been raging for centuries.

Both pack leaders had promised us the best share of the land if we cooperated with their sides. New bonds were made and old ones lost as families parted ways, some to join the East, and some the West. I chose to side with the West, currently under our Supreme Leader, Winston. We believed we had the right to control The Valley, and every caribou that walked in it. Without them, the entire Western pack would starve. However, the Eastern packs also strongly believed in their rights to The Valley and its caribou.

This brings us to where we are now, fighting a war that was never really our own. Stationed at lone outposts which lined the border between East and West.

Waiting for the rumoured invasion.

Me and my comrades were part of the 15th Defense Group, under General Hutch, who was also Winston's second-in-command. Because we were not wolves, however, we were considered lower to their kind and that also meant how we were treated in the army. Supplies for us humans had run low since mid-November because they were instead being given to our wolf counterparts who were busy engaging in increasing skirmishes along the border. We have sent endless complaints to our superiors, who were all wolves, however, to no avail.

Because of the freezing weather, we have had to exhaust our supplies at a faster rate, and the end of the war was nowhere in sight. To make matters worse, we have also had to wage yet another war against an endless army of fleas which had terrorized our clothing.

* * *

A twig broke.

"Aaahh… fuck this." Kruger muttered.

"You know, you really shouldn't be wasting your time and our resources in making another stupid fire." Steinsson said, motioning to the small fire Kruger had made two hours earlier "It's fucking useless."

Kruger chuckled and set the two halves of the twig in front of Steinsson "Just 'coz you can't make one."

"I don't care." Steinsson said, and tossed the twigs back at the laughing Kruger.

"Ey! Keep it down, those Eastern bastards are everywhere." Eriksson, the appointed leader of our group warned.

"Yes, o Supreme Commander." Kruger mocked, lowering his head in mock respect.

Eriksson threw a leftover branch at Kruger, who burst out laughing again. He was always the funny one.

I stood by the cliff with my Mauser Kar98k rifle. It had belonged to my grandfather, who had purchased it from his friend returning from the Second World War. There wasn't much movement on the other side, except for the swaying of the trees in the wind. I sighed, and looked through my binoculars, using only the light of the moon to help me. The voices and deep, hearty laughter of Kruger continued behind me.

"Why can't you be more like Rat? Hell, he barely says shit!" I overheard Eriksson saying, his voice sounded more helpless now, probably still trying to discipline Kruger.

'Rat' was my nickname, derived from 'Kraat'. As you might have guessed, it was indeed Kruger who came up with it about a year ago, and it has stuck since then.

Suddenly, the trees moved as a large flock of birds took to the air at the same time. I tensed up, scanning the area thoroughly. _Was that the Eastern army? Did they scare off the birds? Were they finally on the move?_

I looked back. _Did they hear the birds too?_

No, they couldn't have. They were still talking. I scanned the area again, squinting through my binoculars, looking for dark shapes that might be moving. The steady pounding of my heart could be felt throughout my body.

No, there was nothing. With a breath of relief into the cold, still air, I hung my binoculars on my neck. However, it made me shudder to think that the next one might not be anymore a false alarm, that the real thing was coming.

I looked at my watch, wiping away the frost that had formed on its face. It was 11:30, time to swap lookout duty with Kruger. I slung my rifle on my shoulders and walked back to the fire.

"The Rat is back!" Kruger smiled, raising his mammoth arms and opening his hands for a high-five.

I thrust the binoculars into his open hand "Your turn."

"Again?" he asked, annoyed "It's the fourth time this week!"

"Go, go, go…" Eriksson said, coming up behind Kruger and pushing him along "and try not to make a fire while you're at it. You'll get us spotted."

"Fine, fine." he said, and walked to the cliff, cocking his rifle. He was a large figure, and I figured he'd get us spotted even without a fire.

* * *

Eriksson patted my helmet as I sat down "How have you been?"

"Enjoying the view." I said, throwing a branch into the fire.

He sat down beside me "Hasn't been much, has it?"

I shook my head.

"And there never will be." Steinsson sighed as he lay down on the grass.

"It's been five years, Erik." he continued, putting up five fingers "Five fucking years."

Erik grunted as he stood up and kicked Steinsson's side softly with his boot "Yeah, and it'll be another five before we manage to pull your frozen body from the ground. Come on, get up. Rest inside."

We all got up and headed for the outpost. It was pretty much like a small village house, square-shaped and made of timber. Icicles had formed on the edge of its roof, and the door had become almost impossible to open due to its frozen hinges.

"Come on, help me with this." Eriksson said as he and Steinsson began kicking the door simultaneously, knocking down icicles and snow from the roof.

"Rat, put out the fire. Use the bucket."

'The bucket' was a medium-sized plastic bucket filled with our urine from three days ago. I picked it up, walked over to the fire and poured over it slowly, careful not to let our fluid waste splash all over me. There goes two hours of Kruger's hard work, I thought.

Eriksson and Steinsson had just kicked the door open and walked in, glad to be sheltered from the cold wind. I put the bucket down and jogged to the entrance, where Eriksson had appeared, holding a pillow and a roll of blanket.

"Hand these over to Kruger before you come in. He's gonna do the overnight watch. Best see to it that he's comfortable." he said, and we both laughed.

I took them from his hands and jogged towards Kruger, who was rubbing his hands furiously together. He turned around to face me as I approached "Hey Rat! Come to replace me already? Great, my balls are fucking freezing!"

With a big grin, I held out the pillow and blanket to him. I have never seen a man's expression change so quickly. He looked at them, then at me.

"Fuck."


	2. Chapter 2

_**19 December 2010**_

_**Tony's Den**_  
_**Eastern Territory**_  
_**Jasper**_  
_**8:00 pm**_

* * *

"Please stop… please…"

His weak, hopeless howls echoed through the vast network of tunnels as he was dragged along by his tail. His heavily bruised body continued to be tortured as it was scraped along the cold, rocky floor.

"So you thought you could sneak up on us, eh?" sneered one of his captors, who followed behind.

The victim struggled to open his eyes, swollen from the earlier beating, just enough to see his enemy. He looked up at a strongly-built, dark grey wolf, his crimson red eyes filled with an inextinguishable hate.

"Where… are you taking me?" he managed to cough out.

The dark grey wolf glared straight down at him, baring razor-sharp teeth.

"To hell."

The unfortunate victim then closed his eyes shut again, not wanting to think about his fate, whatever it may be.

_Psychological warfare_, he thought to himself. _Don't ask any more questions. Don't listen to them. Think about your family. Think about your future._

**_Future?_** His conscience kicked in. _**Why does that word even mean anything to you anymore? Admit it, the war is over, for you.**_

_It may be_, he fought back, _but I still have a beautiful mate and a strong little son to get back to._

Strong images of him and his mate meeting for the first time at the Moonlight Howl filled his head. The first time they rubbed noses. Their first howl together. Their first night of passion. Then came along his son, his mischievous little warrior.

_My playful bundle of fur_, he thought to himself as a tear formed in his right eye.

_**Fool! You should have enjoyed the rest of your life with them, not join the army.**_

_I only joined…_

_**… because of your friends? Is that how you show your family love? Leaving your son to a future without his dad to guide and train him? Leaving your wife to live out the rest of her days and die without her loving mate by her side? Is that how you show them love?**_

_No, I just…_

**_You should just give up the fight. They are gone. You are gone. Your future is gone. Give it up, Rudy, give it up…_**

_NO! I won't listen to you! I will surely return for them! You… you're nothing but a useless distraction!_

**_Oh, but I'm doing you a big favor, Rudy. Probably the biggest one of your life._**

* * *

He didn't know how caught up he was in his inner war until one of his captors bit his tail.

"Ey! Quit your whimpering! Silence before the mighty Tony!" barked a wolf behind him.

Slowly and painfully, he opened his eyes again. The den was small, lit only by a flickering torch hung up at the side of a rock. There, sitting in front of him, was the one wolf the entire Western army was after. Rudy, like most of his wolf and human comrades, had never seen their main opponent face-to-face.

A human who was standing beside Rudy grabbed his rifle and scored a direct hit with its butt end on Rudy's already bruised head with a loud _THWACK!_

He fell to the ground, coughing up more blood. The human's cold hand grabbed his ear and pulled him back up "Found this sucker sneaking up on one of our camps at the front! Not so stealthy now, huh?"

Tony looked up at the human "And this is how you address your leader?"

"Sorry, sir?" the human asked, dumbfounded.

"How should you address…" Tony smirked.

"Oh, sir! I'm sorry, I meant… uh… Supreme Leader! Sir!" the human blabbered, releasing his grip on Rudy.

There is only one Supreme Leader, Rudy thought to himself. That is Winston.

"Hm!" Tony remarked, and got to his feet, accompanied by the sound of his back cracking "Ow! Ugh… leave us."

Everyone in the den started walking towards a back tunnel exit without a word. Rudy looked back at the human, who was crouching because of his size "They… don't belong in such places."

Tony slowly walked past Rudy, watching them leave. He brushed so close that Rudy could feel his body heat. He was, indeed, by no means in his prime, but was big for his age. His brown eyes were those of a wolf who had seen many. His body that of one who had fought in many great battles. His voice was commanding, yet firm and calm.

"I don't think that you're in the position to be talking about prejudice now, are you?" asked Tony, who walked back up to face Rudy.

"They brought you up to me as a prisoner." he continued "What should I do with you?"

"Make it quick… spill no blood." Rudy said, and coughed weakly.

Tony chuckled, then burst into uncontrollable laughter, wheezing in the process "HA! Are all Westerners as eager to die as you?! Oh, what courage! HAHA!"

Rudy watched as his greatest opponent continued to enjoy himself, his laughter echoing through the den. _Dammit_, he thought to himself. _If those assholes hadn't beat me up like fuck, then this would be my perfect chance. Possibly my ONLY chance…_

Tony continued "Oh wow! You truly made my day! HA!"

It took about two more minutes until he managed to calm himself down "No, my boy. I won't KILL you." he said, and walked around Rudy, examining his 'personal' prisoner "That would be a horrible waste of good, manual labour."

Rudy moaned in pain as Tony poked around the many cuts and scrapes that had covered his body.

Tony ended back in front of Rudy, and looked at him straight in the eyes "No, I won't let you away that easily." he said, putting on a cunning smile "I will make sure every bit of energy left in that miserable body of yours is put to good use."

_This is it_, Rudy thought. _I'm never going to see them again._ He began to cry.

"Oh, that's too bad isn't it?" Tony cooed "Seems like someone back home isn't gonna have daddy around to play with anymore. Boohoohoo…"

Although he felt himself being fuelled by hate at that somewhat immature statement, he knew he couldn't do anything due to severe injuries. As a cold wind blew through the den, Rudy vowed in his heart to return to his family as long as he was breathing. He couldn't leave them now, not when they had come this far. He knew this was going to be the most tremendous challenge as an Alpha wolf that no previous training could prepare him for. It was time to take matters into his own paws.

"Schneider!" Tony called out. The human came back in, crouching "You know where to take him."

Then, for a brief moment, Rudy stopped crying and looked up at Tony in pure defiance. He was, after all, not an Alpha wolf for no reason.

"Wherever it is, I'm looking forward to it." he said in an unwavering voice. A feeling of pride surged through his broken body, finally having stood up to his enemy for the first time in his life. It was almost like it breathed a new life into him.

The human walked up behind him, took his rifle once again and swung it at Rudy's head with full force.

A sharp, terrible pain erupted in his head as he fell to the ground. Everything became a blur. However he managed to see a greyish-black wolf suddenly appear beside Tony. Tony said something unclear, his voice becoming booming sounds in Rudy's head.

Before his world turned black, a frightening thought passed through his head:

_That wolf looked familiar._

_Terribly familiar._


	3. Chapter 3

**_25 December 2010_**

_**Border Outpost #37**_  
_**Western Territory**_  
_**Jasper**_  
_**6:25 am**_

* * *

A cold, rough hand seized my face and started slapping me without mercy. Halfway through my dream, it felt like continuous blows from a professional boxer.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up…" Eriksson's coarse voice greeted me.

You could say that his method of getting his comrades to welcome the morning was more effective than it was kind. Sure enough, I immediately rolled out of my bed, hitting the damp wooden floor.

"Men of the 15th!" Eriksson ordered as he walked to the door "You have 3 minutes to get yourself strapped up for inspection outside!"

Half-awake, I engaged in the battle of folding my blanket before heading for the wash basin to wake myself up. Eriksson kick-opened the door as the freezing, morning wind greeted our faces. I rushed to the basin and ducked my head into it, switching the tap on. Steinsson, whose two hands were occupied with tying his boots, merely turned his head away from the wind. I didn't see Kruger, who was probably already waiting for us outside, since he was the overnight watch.

Fully awakened, I quickly put on my worn-out boots, which already had ice frozen onto the bottom. By the time I had reached for my army jacket, Steinsson had bolted through the door and out, still buttoning his shirt. We normally weren't in this much of a hurry, and Eriksson had never talked about an 'inspection' before. What was he up to?

I finished up and heaved on my backpack as I ran out into the open. It was snowing lightly, and the sun had just started its ascent, its golden-reddish rays shining down on us and adding a majestic colour to the surrounding mountains and landscape.

Eriksson, Steinsson and Kruger was lining up side-by-side, which was unusual because Eriksson would always be the one standing in front of us for the morning roll-call.

As I jogged closer to them, I could make out the situation. Two wolves with officer's caps were standing in front of them. They turned their attention towards me as I took my place beside Kruger, whose face was pale and stiffened, and whose eyes were staring straight into the distance.

"Tsk tsk tsk tsk…" an officer walked****** up to me "You're late by half a minute."

"I'm sorry, sir. Sleep had overcome me."

The officer, who had white fur with streaks of black and towered over me by about one and a half feet, began to chuckle. His adjutant followed in the same manner, and soon enough they were both overcome with uncontrollable laughter. Even Eriksson was smirking a bit.

When they had calmed down, the officer walked up to me again "First of all, you address me as Lieutenant Colonel. Can't you see the rank? Hey, look at me when I'm talking to you." he said, pointing at his cap.

We weren't used to looking at badges or ranks since our own ranks and badges had faded away after enduring months of harsh conditions. I looked straight into his fierce, yellow eyes.

"Sorry, sir Lieutenant Colonel."

"It's just Lieutenant Colonel." he said, turning away from me and looking at my comrades. "Now, I've heard of all your complaints about shortage of supplies or some shit like that. I believe as you all know, we are currently engaged in a terrible fight for survival a few miles north of here."

"As your superior commanding officer," he continued "my job is to make sure there are no useless squabbles among my troops! You remember our Supreme Leader Winston's speech, don't you?" He turned to me again "Or has the harsh cold of winter freezed your brains?"

I remember that speech.

I remember it well.

They were mostly empty promises made by Winston.

* * *

_***FLASHBACK, 5 YEARS AGO***_

The entire 15th Defense Group, along with other sections of the army, wolves and humans alike, had formed up in squares, facing the Moonlight Howl rock. We numbered about 95000 in total, all pumped for action and waiting to be inspired by Winston's speech before being thrown into the heat of combat.

I looked around at my comrades. We were very much more well-dressed then, and cleaner. I looked behind me at Kruger. He was the sight of a man who had just been promoted to General. Steinsson and Eriksson were somewhere else in the formation, probably feeling proud of themselves too.

A wave of applause and shouts of "Long live the Homeland!" suddenly erupted as Supreme Leader Winston walked up the rock, his wife and two daughters following behind him. My vision was good enough to catch a good look at the aging wolf. I could spot a few scars on his body, for he had been in many battles before I even learned how to shoot a rifle.

My attention then turned to one of his daughters, she was covered with fur as white as snow. One of her eyes was covered with white fur. I was standing quite close to the front so I could even see the colour of her eyes- a striking lavender.

She was pretty.

No, she was beautiful. So beautiful.

An unexpected surge of passion suddenly took hold of me as I scanned her body top to bottom. She was fine, too. Damn fine.

My face felt warm and I could feel myself having a serious erection.

I came to my senses before the fantasies could enter my mind, and right before Winston started speaking.

"Brothers and comrades, I guess you know why you're all here. I don't think you want to listen to an old wolf speak about glory for half an hour."

A low chuckle could be heard among us. Winston himself smirked.

"No, you go and make your own glories. And someday when all this is over you can go back to your wives and sweethearts and children…"

I looked at her again. I had to.

I suddenly felt a connection between us. I couldn't explain how or why.

**_"Snap out of it, she's the Leader's daughter for Christ's sake! You're just an unknown recruit."_** my mind told me. I looked down a bit. Yes, that was so, I suppose.

"…and when your kids ask you what you did during the war you won't have to say 'Well, I shovelled shit for the community'."

We laughed the laugh of 95000 troops.

"Gentlemen, in the next few weeks you will learn more about combat than you have in the months you spent in boot camp. The enemy is tough. The enemy is determined. The enemy doesn't care whether he gets hurt or killed in battle. All that matters to him is that he kills you. But this is not just for our caribou. This is for our very existence. This is for generations and generations to come. You may be a Private, or even a General. But that will make no difference when your family and your Leader remembers you all as heroes who defended our Homeland."

Once again, I looked at Winston's daughter. Maybe she will remember me._** "Are you out of your fucking mind? She doesn't care about you, let alone know your name. Winston might have mentioned equality, but it is the most definite that she will mate with a powerful and well-known General."**_ my mind came at me again.

Yes, you may be right after all.

My mind continued its assault_** "You'll probably die sooner or later anyways. Even if you had SOMEHOW managed to make her your wife, you wouldn't want her to become an early widow now, would you?"**_

Well, I would most certainly not. But…

_**"There are no 'buts'. Give up the insane thought. No female has ever loved you, anyway."**_

"Brothers, I entrust this vital mission to you! You know I am a wolf of no nonsense, and I will tolerate no rebels or deserters. You have nothing to fear. You will be well-equipped for the battles that lie ahead. You will have food, water, ammuniton and all sorts of supplies. The enemy has nothing. That is why they want to invade our Valley instead of sharing with us. Well, we will be giving them our answers in the next few weeks, won't we, boys?"

Inspired shouts erupted within our ranks. A perfect opportunity to catch yet another look at her.

She was looking at me, suddenly._** "She's just looking at your direction. Probably at some handsome young officer near you. Why in the Universe would she even think about looking at you?"**_

So? I can look at her as long as I want, and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it.

_**"Well, do what you want then. I'm just telling you the truth."**_

I looked at her angelic face. I wanted to know her more, maybe become acquaintences. Even, if possible, start a family with her. I was tired of being alone for so long.

However, my mind could be right. These were probably insane thoughts and the chances would be extremely slim. She's up there and I'm down here. Maybe, thoughts are just thoughts after all.

_**"Extremely slim?! You don't have a single shred of a chance with her! Forget it, you infatuated freak!"**_ my mind screamed at me.

I didn't know how long I thought about her despite my mind's protests but by the time I knew it, Winston was concluding his speech.

"Men, in battle there are no differences. You all fight alongside each other as mortal beings. I have the utmost faith in you all. I may not know you. My wife and daughters may not know you."

I looked up.

"But our support will reside within all of you, along with the many other civilian lives that now rest on your shoulders. Godspeed!"

The entire army, roused and full of new energy, tossed their caps and helmets into the air with shouts of "Long live the Homeland!" and "Hail our Leader!"

I did the same, looking as Winston and his family walked back down the rock and began greeting the troops and officers in the front row. What a chance! However, I was a few rows back.

"15th Defense Group, form into double marching files! About face! Move out!" General Hutch ordered. I attempted to walk to the front quickly to make a brief acquaintance when an officer grabbed me by the shoulder as soon as I walked out of my row and ordered me back with a rough voice "Ey! Move back in line! We're moving out, didn't 'ya hear?"

I looked back one last time at Winston's daughter, keeping her beautiful face and figure in my head for encouragement in the battles that I was to face.

"Sir, will you tell me what her name is?" I asked the officer.

He looked at her and barked back at me "Why do 'ya need to know?! Got a crush on her or something? I said fall back in line before I beat the crap out of you!"

I looked down and sighed before jogging back to my position.

Off we marched. To make our own glories.

_***END OF FLASHBACK***_

* * *

"Yes I see you remember that speech well." the officer said, nodding his head. "Winston will not tolerate rebels or deserters! So quit complaining!"

Eriksson spoke up "He also promised us supplies, Lieutenant Colonel."

"Aye, aren't you getting them?"

"Sir, we have been living on the plants that grow in this area for three weeks now. My men, they're growing weary."

The officer walked up to Eriksson and pointed a paw towards him. "YOUR men? So have all of you maggots been listening to him?"

There was silence as we shivered in the bitter cold wind.

"We appointed him as our officer, sir." Kruger said.

"And who gave you the right?" the officer said in a serious tone "Alright, from now on, there will be no more illegal appointing of leaders. I am your superior officer! You take orders from ME! Any other than that will be considered rebellion and therefore treason punishable by the worst death imaginable, IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?!"

"Yes, sir!" we all said in unison.

"Get back to your duties!" the officer said, walking away with his adjutant to the next outpost "And clean yourselves up, you look like you're from Mars."

"Wolves." said Kruger.

"So, shall we get to breakfast?" Steinsson added.

Kruger put his hand on Steinsson's shoulders "Hey, I'm gonna get half of the food this time. That's my reward for doing the night watch."

"Not to worry." Steinsson smirked "The food's frozen anyway. Merry Christmas to you."

We all burst out in laughter.

* * *

****ALL WOLVES IN THIS STORY ARE HYBRIDS WITH HUMANS.**


	4. Chapter 4

_**27 December 2010**_

_**Forests around Mt. Whitecap  
**__**Northern Border Sector  
**__**Jasper  
****10:07 pm**_

* * *

The smell of blood and smoke hung in the night air, as the sounds of distant firing and explosions pierced the calm forests surrounding Mt. Whitecap.

Platoon Sergeant Schubert and his unit shivered in their foxholes as they silently waited for the order to advance, all deep in their private thoughts, for none knew when or how their lives would so simply end.

He adjusted his helmet and looked through his binoculars towards their target. Their objective was to capture and hold the town of Swentin once and for all. It would have sounded pretty straightforward, but before the mission, he had heard from one of his scouts that the town had changed hands twelve times in the past eight hours.

The capture of the town was a crucial factor in Supreme Leader Tony's plan to invade Western Jasper in a pincer movement from the North and the South. The 1st Corps, composed of around 60000 men and wolves, would be the first to make a massive breakthrough from the North, starting with the capture of the town of Swentin and eventually, Mt. Whitecap.

The next day, on the 28th of December, the 2nd Corps, with also 60000 men and wolves, would follow suit and cross the border from the South, capturing strongholds and towns on their way. Both Corps were supplemented with two armoured divisions each, making the Eastern Army a force to be reckoned with.

Schubert smiled as he scanned the vicinity ahead of him. _**"Those damn Westerns will never know what hit 'em."**_ he thought.

And if they thought 2 Army Corps with armoured divisions was more than enough, Tony had even prepared for the worst and stationed an additional 20000 of an elite division of wolves as reserves.

"_**They're weak and unprepared."**_ thought Schubert as he scanned the few outposts which had surrounded the town _**"There shouldn't be more than a thousand troops within the town and its vicinity. This should be a piece of cake…"**_

"…_**or at least, it should've been."**_

Schubert's gaze now shifted to Mt. Whitecap, which overlooked the town and the forests. The Western Army had dug in and positioned several anti-tank and artillery guns of all sizes at strategic points on the mountain. There was barely any area of the Northern Border Sector that the guns couldn't cover.

In fact, their main target after Swentin would be the assault of Mt. Whitecap, and the capture of enemy guns to be used in their own favour. However, Schubert knew the enemy, although outnumbered, could not be underestimated at any time.

"Hey Frank, how do you feel about shooting Germans?" he heard one of his men ask behind him.

"Well, they chose their side, didn't they?" another replied.

Schubert turned around and exhaled deeply "Are we clear on our objectives?"

The two soldiers nodded and replied with a soft "Yes, sir."

He looked at them. Both were young souls, and by the looks on their dirt-covered faces, had little knowledge of the dangers they were about to face. They were all fellow Germans, thousands of miles from the Fatherland, now about to be thrown in bloody combat with other fellow Germans. He could well understand their feelings.

"Frank, which one of you is Frank?" he asked.

"Me, sir." the one on his right replied.

"Family?"

"Yes, sir." Frank motioned with his head towards the West "In there."

Schubert nodded. "And you?" he asked the soldier on his right.

"None, sir."

"_**He wouldn't be losing much, besides his life."**_ Schubert thought _**"Lucky bastard."**_

Frank crawled closer to Schubert. "And you, sir? Do you have family?" he asked.

Schubert looked in the Eastern direction for a moment, seeming to engage in deep thought, before replying "Yes, in fact, Private. Two beautiful daughters and a wife back home. A few relatives and my brother in the West."

"Your brother?" the soldier on his left asked.

"Private, state your name." he replied.

"Oh, sir. Sorry, sir. Private Maarten, sir. Platoon sniper." the soldier replied, tapping the scope on his old, Mauser Kar98k rifle.

"That is an antique, Private Maarten." Schubert pointed at the Kar98k "Best keep it in one piece, and working."

A soldier coughed.

"Indeed, sir. It was used by my grandfather in Tunisia during the Second World War, and has earned him the Iron Cross." Maarten said, as a sense of pride shone in his eyes.

Schubert nodded "You should be proud of your history."

"I am, sir. And I am honoured to be serving under you." Maarten said.

"Loyalty," Schubert said, pounding on the army badge on his left chest "is a rare trait."

Both soldiers nodded slowly.

"Sir, if I may, I would like to know your last name, as a matter of respect." Maarten said.

Schubert chuckled, and looked at the town briefly before facing Maarten again. "If I told you, you would laugh. But if you insist, it is Boonstamp."

* * *

Another half an hour passed with the men of 1st Corps waiting in the biting cold. Both man and wolf started whispering with each other, trying to make friends of each other, for they knew how vital a comrade could be in the heat of battle.

Schubert assumed a crouching stance and went over to the front of his men, gripping his Luger. "Soldiers of the 1st, you very well know that there will be no cover for two kilometres." he said with a serious tone.

They nodded.

"I want you to spread out, and save your bullets until you get in range. There is to be no firing until we can get in range, do you understand?" he ordered.

"Yes, sir." they replied in unison, checking their ammo.

"Men, we have been chosen to form the frontlines of the entire 1st Corps. Supreme Leader Tony expects that every soldier will do his duty. There will be no mercy for deserters or anyone thinking of surrender. Good luck, men. I will see you on the other side. If not, then in the next life." he concluded.

He stayed in his position for about five more minutes before an orchestra of howls was heard coming from the far rear.

Platoon Leaders raised their pistols and pointed them forward, signalling the charge, and the invasion of the West. Immediately, the troops sprang to action, charging and screaming with force. The ground below their feet trembled as the armoured units behind them burst into life, the low sound of their engines roaring with fury.

Schubert followed suit and pointed his pistol forward "CHARGE! For the Valley! No mercy! I'll shoot anyone I see with pity in them!"

The men behind him screamed with their own war cries and ran forward.

The Western troops guarding the town were disturbed by noises coming from the woods, and went to the outposts surrounding the town to see what was going on. Most of them were convinced that they must have been dreaming. The sight of thousands upon thousands of dark shapes charging out of the woods and screaming was too horrifying to be true.

However, some of their officers were veterans of previous battles, and came to their senses. They began howling distress howls in the direction of Mt. Whitecap. Almost immediately, the seemingly quiet mountain became a giant Christmas tree, with artillery flashes appearing from its sides. The troops in the town and outposts also set up heavy-machineguns and a defensive perimeter around the town.

"Don't let up! Don't let up! We're the tip of the sword, men!" Schubert screamed as he ran for his life through the hail of bullets and artillery raining down on him and his men. The explosions kicked up massive amounts of snow, making visibility poor. Men and wolves were literally blown apart, blood and entrails splattering on the snow-covered ground and on their charging comrades. As soon as the attackers had covered about 500 metres, heavy-machinegun fire opened up from the town, cutting down almost every soldier in the front. Schubert saw a man in front of him get hit in the neck, his blood sprayed on Schubert's face as the unfortunate soldier fell on the ground, choking on his own blood.

"Give way for the armour! Get the fuck out of the way! Come on, men!" Schubert ordered through the chaos. His men moved out of the oncoming tanks and armoured transport vehicles. One wounded soldier on the ground wasn't so lucky as a tank crushed his body head-first, as he let out a helpless scream.

The artillery barrage continued to terrorize the advancing army as the ground soon became blood-red. Limbs, brains and entrails were everywhere. However, their tanks rode towards the front like iron gods. Bullets bounced off them in all directions, and most were able to maneuver well enough to avoid anti-tank and artillery fire. Troops followed behind the tanks as they began to align their turrets towards the enemy position.

"We're in range! Open fire! Death to the Westerns!" Schubert said, firing his Luger. The troops behind him also opened up on the enemy positions as they continued to get closer to the sandbags. Schubert could see the terrified faces of the Swentin defenders and knew what a sight they must have been to them.

The tanks aimed for the outposts and fired away, blasting them into mere debris as the explosions lit up the night. It was a glorious sight for the attackers, but most of the Swentin troops in the frontlines quickly retreated into the town itself.

Like a wave from hell, the first wave of Eastern troops came into direct contact with the front row of defenders behind the sandbags. A ferocious melee battle ensued. All around him, Schubert could hear screaming and the sounds of knives and rifles hitting each other. He jumped over the sandbags to spot a Western wolf soldier, bleeding terribly from head, trying to crawl away. Without much hesitation, he emptied three bullets into the wounded wolf's back. Looking up, he spotted a Western human soldier charging at him with a bayoneted rifle and screaming at the top of his lungs.

He knew this was to be considered civil war- killing his own countrymen, but it was probably true. They had chosen their sides. Ducking quickly, the enemy soldier's bayonet narrowly missed his neck. He turned round only to meet Schubert's Luger pointed straight at his chest. Another three shots were fired as blood spurted out of the enemy's chest. However, he screamed one last time and fell on Schubert with his bayonet pointed forward.

A searing, tearing pain erupted in Schubert's right shoulder as he screamed in pain. They both fell onto the ground, with the lifeless body of his enemy on top of him.

"Uuurrrgghhhh... Uhhhh..." Schubert groaned in intense pain as he slowly pushed the soldier away. He could feel warm blood flowing out of his wound. He knew it was bound to be serious but decided not to look at it for it would do nothing but distract him from his mission.

FInally, after what seemed like an eternity, he managed to push the dead soldier off him but remained lying on the ground. As his buddies and fellow wolves died around him, he could do nothing but watch helplessly. Artillery fire continued as everything around him started to go in slow-motion. His hearing became muffled and he started hearing echoes. Closing his eyes for a few seconds, he tried to take in those few moments of peace in the heat of battle. He thought about his men, he thought about his family back home.

_**"My two little girls should be heading off to bed by now..."**_ he thought, as his consciousness started to fade.

_**"And..."**_

_**"My wife... How would she manage..."**_

_**"If..."**_

He felt as if he was in a dream.

It was white. Someone was shouting in the distance. However, the voice was heavily muffled and came instead as booming noises.

A face, yes.

He could make out a face.

_Where was...?_

Opening his eyes painfully for a few more seconds, he could no longer feel any pain in his shoulder. What he saw was a faded grey and bright light in the distance. The shouting was still there.

_No... he couldn't stand it..._

_Any longer..._

Darkness came upon him as he completely lost consciousness. The last thing he heard was his own slow, yet heavy breathing and the continuous boom of the voice.


End file.
